I'm going to be brave and choose major abdominal surgery. This will be my 3rd C/S.
Are you awake during it? Or can you opt to be out asleep? My mom had to be awake during hers and I remember my dad saying he looked too quickly because she was talking and her intestines were just chilling on the table next to her. I'm horrified that I'll be awake and move and then just ahh! But I really want to have a c-section. I have PCOS and am lucky I even got pregnant but the strain of pushing the baby out will likely cause my cysts to rupture. My doctor said a c section is smart but I'm nervous because of my dad!
You're awake. They put a drape between you and your lower half so you don't see your intestines chilling on the table. You also won't be able to move from the waist down.
I'm going to be brave and choose major abdominal surgery. This will be my 3rd C/S.
Are you awake during it? Or can you opt to be out asleep? My mom had to be awake during hers and I remember my dad saying he looked too quickly because she was talking and her intestines were just chilling on the table next to her. I'm horrified that I'll be awake and move and then just ahh! But I really want to have a c-section. I have PCOS and am lucky I even got pregnant but the strain of pushing the baby out will likely cause my cysts to rupture. My doctor said a c section is smart but I'm nervous because of my dad!
Unless for some medical reason you can't have a spinal you are awake. There's a drape at your chest so you can't see down and you are completely numb from the chest down. I am positive there are no intestines on any table in the OR lol. I have had 2 C/S and have been in the OR as a student for C/Ss and your intestines stay inside of you the entire time.
Edited to fix grammar
MMC Aug 2010 DS1 Jan 2012 DS2 July 2013 DS3 February 2016
Unless for some medical reason you can't have a spinal you are awake. There's a drape at your chest so you can't see down and you are completely numb from the chest down. I am positive there are no intestines on any table in the OR lol. I have had 2 C/S and have been in the OR as a student for C/Ss and your intestines stay inside of you the entire time.
Edited to fix grammar
I totally thought they had to move intestines. I apologize for passing along misinformation.
@DrillSergeantCat I'm not an OB or OB nurse but from what I know any organs like the bladder and intestines are moved over still inside the body cavity if they are in the way.
MMC Aug 2010 DS1 Jan 2012 DS2 July 2013 DS3 February 2016
Omg this discussion. The visuals, lol!
My section was scheduled but I still hated it. My body temp wouldn't return to normal for a long while after so I had to chill under blankets with heaters. It felt like an eternity before they let me hold my son. I hated feeling all drugged up after too. Recovery was a PITA. Breastfeeding was super challenging. Just hated the overall experience. If you are having a section, just realize this is only one person's experience so don't let it scare you. Everyone is different! I'm just trying to explain why I'm desperate to not have one again.
Unless for some medical reason you can't have a spinal you are awake. There's a drape at your chest so you can't see down and you are completely numb from the chest down. I am positive there are no intestines on any table in the OR lol. I have had 2 C/S and have been in the OR as a student for C/Ss and your intestines stay inside of you the entire time.
Edited to fix grammar
I totally thought they had to move intestines. I apologize for passing along misinformation.
Well, thank you both for telling me though! I know very little about this and until I'm 25 weeks labor and delivery won't discuss it with me either. Military fun! But that's good to know that there's no intestines! I don't know if I could handle being awake though. So many choices to make when having a baby!!!
My section was scheduled but I still hated it. My body temp wouldn't return to normal for a long while after so I had to chill under blankets with heaters. It felt like an eternity before they let me hold my son. I hated feeling all drugged up after too. Recovery was a PITA. Breastfeeding was super challenging. Just hated the overall experience. If you are having a section, just realize this is only one person's experience so don't let it scare you. Everyone is different! I'm just trying to explain why I'm desperate to not have one again.
I didn't even think about trying to breast feed after!!! Oh crap! So you can't hold the baby until your body temperature goes back to normal either? I have a low base temp so if I have one that could be my whole life! Lol I also appreciate you sharing your experience!
Also @DrillSergeantCat donating cord blood is the ONE thing I DO know about pregnancy! My hospital gave me a few papers about it but basically it works just like donating blood. They keep it and use the cord blood for other babies and if you donate cord blood once you can never be denied access to cord blood for any future need. It's kind of cool! I would rather try and get my baby every thing he/she will need though!
@thisusername they were afraid my temperature, since it was so low, would bring down my son's so I couldn't hold him until they deemed it was safe. It wasn't holding him that was the issue with breastfeeding, it was that my milk took forever to come in and it came in SO slow. I had to work so hard at breastfeeding and it was stressful which I attribute to the poor start. I know moms who have had sections and had absolutely no issues breastfeeding though so I think it just depends on the person.
I have a platelet disorder (correct count, just don't function), so hemorrhage is a huge concern for me. I have an appointment at the end of September to determine whether they will allow me to deliver vaginally or require c/s. I have heard from different doctors in both camps saying that natural delivery may result in less blood loss, and conversely that with a c/s there is the option to cauterize. If hemorrhage is not controllable, I will likely have an immediate hysterectomy.
With that being said my birth plan is to listen to my doctors, with 3 priorites:
1) I want to live
2) I want my baby to live
3) I'd like to keep my uterus.
Lucky for me, those are their priorities too so I know everyone is on board!
Seeing some of these issues you other ladies have makes me feel like an ass for wanting special stuff. I understand a plan is just a plan and not set in stone and my hope is there's a healthy baby at the end.
I'm pretty laid back about the whole thing, I have had this platelet nonsense my whole life and knew what I was getting into getting pregnant. Since it was planned and intentional, there is plenty of time for figuring out what the best options are and I know I am in great hands, and they have hemorrhage carts and all kinds of things available these days that can mitigate most of the risk.
I think everyone should absolutely be able to plan as much as possible how they would like to bring their child in this world, it just varies person to person how much planning is possible, so I totally don't think you should feel bad even a little @DrillSergeantCat
Ideally I'd like immediate skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding. Any medical decisions I'm comfortable leaving to the professionals who do this day in and day out. And yes I have watched "The Business of Being Born" before anyone asks lol. I don't think there's anything wrong with making tentative decisions based on personal preference at all. But with my history, this is the "plan" that's best for me.
My birth plan: go to the hospital pregnant... come home not pregnant.
Really I would say I only had a "plan" with my first. I wanted to try and go all natural (no epidural, no pain meds). I ended up having to be induced after my water broke on its own but I wasn't progressing. I ended up with minimal pain meds and no epidural. I nearly had a water birth, which if I had realized at the time I probably would have just gone with it. For my second it was sort of a "do what we did last time" sort of plan. Whatever needed to happen would happen. Again I had a dose of pain med and no epidural. We have the same "plan" this time.
I have every intention of having a CNM attended home birth. Technically, my midwife has delivery privileges if I wanted to transfer and go that route, however I don't foresee myself being in the hospital unless it's an emergency c-section situation.
I'll move about freely (though this will probably end up with me hiding in my bathroom), eat, and labor in whatever position feels best.
We won't be doing the eye ointment (not at any risk)
We won't be giving the hep b vaccination
I won't allow cervical checks unless it is imperative or requested by me
Intermittent fetal monitoring
No AROM
Delaying cord clamping until it stops pulsing completely
Most importantly, as far as my own comfort goes, I do not want to be touched or talked to unless it's necessary. I want to be monitored for the safety of baby and myself, but I dislike excessive watching, coddling, and touching.
Oh, and if possible DH would love to catch LO, but we understand that may not be feasible.
If required I prefer the first attempts to rectify post-partum hemorrhage be pit, then up to 800mg misoprostal, with only more unconventional methods occurring afterwards and when transport is already on their way.
I have every intention of having a CNM attended home birth. Technically, my midwife has delivery privileges if I wanted to transfer and go that route, however I don't foresee myself being in the hospital unless it's an emergency c-section situation.
I'll move about freely (though this will probably end up with me hiding in my bathroom), eat, and labor in whatever position feels best.
We won't be doing the eye ointment (not at any risk)
We won't be giving the hep b vaccination
I won't allow cervical checks unless it is imperative or requested by me
Intermittent fetal monitoring
No AROM
Delaying cord clamping until it stops pulsing completely
Most importantly, as far as my own comfort goes, I do not want to be touched or talked to unless it's necessary. I want to be monitored for the safety of baby and myself, but I dislike excessive watching, coddling, and touching.
Oh, and if possible DH would love to catch LO, but we understand that may not be feasible.
If required I prefer the first attempts to rectify post-partum hemorrhage be pit, then up to 800mg misoprostal, with only more unconventional methods occurring afterwards and when transport is already on their way.
Will they actually let you opt out of eye ointment? Here that is required for all babies by law like the vitamin k shot so it's a non-negotiable regardless of risk due to its benefits for baby (just curious because of the rules here)
Feb'16 September Siggy Challenge: Favorite thing about fall
I talked to my OB about the delayed cord clamping at my last appointment, but thanks to pregnancy brain, I forgot until just now. She said that it is recommended for pre-term babies, but full-term babies allowing the cord to completely stop pulsating can actually overload them with fluids and cause more problems.
This is my 3rd. And my last two were natural.... That said I plan to do the same thing with this birth- go in open minded and do what I feel is best at that moment! I find moms go in with too highly of an expectation and then feel defeated if there plan doesn't work!
Re: Birth Plans..
Edited to fix grammar
DS1 Jan 2012
DS2 July 2013
DS3 February 2016
DS1 Jan 2012
DS2 July 2013
DS3 February 2016
Well, thank you both for telling me though! I know very little about this and until I'm 25 weeks labor and delivery won't discuss it with me either. Military fun! But that's good to know that there's no intestines! I don't know if I could handle being awake though. So many choices to make when having a baby!!!
I'll move about freely (though this will probably end up with me hiding in my bathroom), eat, and labor in whatever position feels best.
We won't be doing the eye ointment (not at any risk)
We won't be giving the hep b vaccination
I won't allow cervical checks unless it is imperative or requested by me
Intermittent fetal monitoring
No AROM
Delaying cord clamping until it stops pulsing completely
Most importantly, as far as my own comfort goes, I do not want to be touched or talked to unless it's necessary. I want to be monitored for the safety of baby and myself, but I dislike excessive watching, coddling, and touching.
Oh, and if possible DH would love to catch LO, but we understand that may not be feasible.
If required I prefer the first attempts to rectify post-partum hemorrhage be pit, then up to 800mg misoprostal, with only more unconventional methods occurring afterwards and when transport is already on their way.
DS (2.29.16) via Homebirth
~ Proverbs 22:6 ~
I just really needed to put that out there, I've been biting my tongue the whole time reading the comments.